| Audi Sport GmbH | |
| Type: | Subsidiary (GmbH) |
| Foundation: | Neckarsulm, Germany (October 1983) |
| Location: | Neckarsulm |
| Locations: | one 3,500 m2 site at Neckarsulm |
| Area Served: | Worldwide |
| Industry: | Automotive |
| Products: | High-performance luxury automobiles, wheels and suspension components, specialist body styling parts, automotive consumer goods |
| Services: | Automotive design, testing, production, research and development |
| Operating Income: | €220 million (2004) |
| Owner: | Volkswagen Group |
| Num Employees: | 580 (plus 250 additional R8 employees) (2009) |
| Parent: | Audi |
| Subsid: | Volkswagen R GmbH Volkswagen Individual GmbH |
Audi Sport GmbH, formerly known as quattro GmbH,[1] is the high-performance car manufacturing subsidiary of Audi,[2] [3] [4] [5] itself a subsidiary of the greater Volkswagen Group.
Founded in October 1983 as quattro GmbH, it primarily specializes in producing high-performance Audi cars[6] and components, along with purchaser specified customizations.[2] The company's former name was a homage to Audi's original four-wheel drive rally-inspired road car—the Audi Quattro. In 2016, the company was renamed Audi Sport GmbH.[7]
It is located in a 3500m2 site at Neckarsulm,[3] near Stuttgart, in the German State of Baden-Württemberg. Development and manufacturing factories[6] is based within a larger 10700m2 site of the now defunct German automotive maker NSU Motorenwerke AG.
Its core products include the Audi RS4, the Audi RS5, the Audi RS6 and the Audi RS7 Sportback. Furthermore, it does not sell its automobiles directly to the public via franchised outlets under its own brand name; instead, they are sold under the Audi marque.
Audi Sport GmbH specializes in four 'key' areas,[2] including the design, testing, and production of specialist and high performance Audi automobiles. Examples include the Audi RS3, Audi RS Q8, and the Audi R8.
They also design and produce special wheels, sport suspension, and exterior body panels, such as front bumpers, side skirts, and rear bumpers, which are mainly used on the Audi "S line" trim specification available on most of Audi's model range.
The Audi RS cars are Audi's high performance variants of their regular offerings, similar to BMW's M cars and Mercedes Benz AMG subsidiary. The "RS" initials are taken from the German: RennSport – literally translated as "racing sport". RS is Audi's highest trim level, positioned above the "S" ("Sport") specification level of Audi's regular model range. quattro GmbH create, design, and produce all RS models in conjunction with parent, Audi AG.[2] [6] The RS models are typically Audi's most powerful cars and are built in limited numbers with the latest technology and engineering offered by the car maker.
S line is a trim specification that is offered on many Audi models. Whilst the individual S line parts and components are designed and manufactured by quattro GmbH,[2] [6] [3] Audi "S line" cars are still manufactured in the same AUDI AG factories, on the same production lines as their related models with differing trim levels. Cars with "S line" trim should not be confused with high-performance "S" and "RS" models. Audi cars with S line trim bear identical performance figures to their counterparts with SE or base trim levels, with the exception of the Audi Q7 S line with the 3.0 V6 TFSI petrol engines (213kW for standard, 2450NaN0 for S line).
quattro GmbH offers potential purchasers of new Audi cars the possibility of customizing their new car beyond the scope of "conventional" options, to their own personal desires during the initial manufacturing process.[3] This facility is called Audi exclusive,[8] and extends to virtually all areas of the car. The customer may choose unique exterior paint, in any colour, as well as alloy wheels originally developed by quattro GmbH. For the interior, the upholstery can be finished in various grades and grains of leathers (including Nappa), in a choice of colours. These coloured leathers may also be applied to interior door coverings and rear parcel shelves. Headlining fabrics can be customized in colour, along with seat belt webbing. The interior can be finished with a wide selection of wooden trims, sourced from around the world, along with colour-coordinated piping on the edges of tailored floor carpet mats. A range of in-car office equipment is also available.[2] quattro GmbH first offered this service at the 1995 Frankfurt International Motor Show.[6]
From 1985, quattro GmbH has developed a range of Audi lifestyle products, known as Audi Accessories.[6] These include mountain bikes and personal leather goods, such as briefcases, handbags, purses and wallets.
quattro GmbH has historically only been able to produce one specific model at a time at its sole plant at Neckarsulm. Chronologically, the first quattro GmbH model produced was the Audi RS2 Avant, a joint venture between Porsche and quattro GmbH, from 1994–1996 (and actually built at Porsche's Zuffenhausen plant). After this initial joint venture, all subsequent cars have been solely (with the exception of the Audi TT RS) produced at Neckarsulm by quattro GmbH. The second car was the C4 S6 Plus, produced from April 1996 to July 1997. Third was the 2000–2001 B5 RS4 Avant quattro; fourth was the 2003 C5 RS6 quattro; fifth was the 2005 B7 A4 DTM Edition saloon. Sixth out of quattro GmbH was the 2006 B7 RS4 quattro, seventh out of quattro GmbH was the 2006 B7 S4 25 Quattro, the eighth was a special edition A4 S-Line with 2200NaN0 and additional options for local markets – for example the UK 'Special Edition' with black optics pack, ventilated cross-drilled front disc brakes, black exhaust pipes, two-tone leather interior – and the Swedish 'TS' designation with ventilated cross-drilled front disc brakes, S4 chassis, sport seats and aluminum interior detailing, and as of 2009, the ninth and latest offering is the 2008 C6 RS6 5.0 TFSI quattro.[6] [3] [5]
In 2005, they built an Audi TT quattro sport with 176 kW.
The Audi R8 is built in a new and totally separate quattro GmbH plant at Neckarsulm.
The latest Audi TT RS and the Audi RS3 are both notable departures from this Neckarsulm-only production tradition. Whilst the TT RS and RS3 were wholly designed, developed and engineered at Neckarsulm by quattro GmbH, they are manufactured alongside the non-RS Audi models, with the TT RS being manufactured at Győr, Hungary, by AUDI AG subsidiary Audi Hungaria Motor Kft.[9]
quattro GmbH-produced cars from Neckarsulm can be identified by their specific 2nd and 3rd digit of the World Manufacturer Identifier section of the vehicles' Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) – quattro GmbH manufactured cars begin with 'WUA....', whereas cars produced by AUDI AG in Germany begin with 'WAU....'.[9]
See main article: Audi R8. The Audi R8 two-seat mid-engined sports car was exclusively designed and developed and is produced by quattro GmbH.[3] [5] An old factory on the Audi Neckarsulm site was redeveloped, and €28 million was invested in the new R8 production line. Around 250 employees work on this car.[2]
The longitudinally oriented 4.2 litre Fuel Stratified Injection (FSI) V8 engine used in the R8, rated at 309kW and 430lk=on0lk=on of torque, is shared from the B7 RS4 quattro, but modified to use a dry sump lubrication system[10] and induction system.
A subsequent V10 engined version of the R8 is also available, using a de-tuned version of their sister company's 5.2-litre FSI V10, used in the Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4. This variant produces 3860NaN0 and 5300NaN0 of torque.
Furthermore, quattro GmbH unveiled a diesel engined R8 concept, the "R8 V12 TDI" (later renamed "R8 TDI Le Mans"). This was to use a 6.0-litre V12 engine, utilising Volkswagen Group's long-established Turbocharged Direct Injection (TDI) turbodiesel technology. This engine was rated at 3680NaN0 and 1000Nm of torque.
quattro GmbH has developed the most powerful diesel powered sport utility vehicle (SUV) in its class.[3] [5] [11] The Audi Q7 V12 TDI quattro is fitted with a V12 Turbocharged Direct Injection (TDI) internal combustion engine. A world first, this all new diesel engine displaces 6.0 litres, generating a motive power output of 368kW (measured according to Directive 80/1269/EEC) at 4,000 rpm, and 1000lk=0lk= of torque at 1,750–3,000 rpm. This allows it to accelerate from NaN0NaN0 in 5.5 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 250km/h. quattro GmbH has developed this new engine using existing technology from Audi's Le Mans endurance racing program – the Audi R15 TDI.[12]